Fastener for hand bags



March 27, 1934. M. NAHAS 1,953,055

FASTENER FOR HAND BAGS Filed April 29, 1951 oeoooooo/oooo)o Fig.2.

fax 6552 Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

Application April 29, 1931, Serial No. 533,830 In France October 18, 1930 3 Claims. (Cl. 292-42) with a locking ring and an unlocking ring, a

combination of teeth on the inner stop elements and with a removable key for opening or hampering the combination.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same.

Figures 3 and 4 are cross sections on the lines MN and OP respectively.

Figure 5 is a perspective of the unlocking ring, the key being removed.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective of the key.

Figure 7 is a detail. perspective of the bolt which may be used instead of the key.

Theframe consists of two jaws 1 and 2 connected by two hinges. A recess 4 of any suitable form is provided near the upper edge of each jaw was to shape the handle 5 in the jaw 1, and the handle 6 in the jaw 2. In the handle 5 a reglet 7 of the same width but less in length than the handle is cut out either in the middle or slightly on the side, so that the two ends remaining in place form the tongues 8 and 9. The cut out reglet 7 isthen fixed in any suitable manner on the corresponding and symmetric part of the handle 6 in order that when the jaw 1 is brought back on the jaw 2, in the closed position, the free ends of the two tongues 8 and 9 come in juxtaposition before the ends of the reglet 7 so as to form the geometric solution of continuity of thehandle 5 to which they belong, and permit their clamping by one or two rings 32, 34 loosely surrounding the handle 6 and the reglet 7..

A feature of .the invention consists in the disposition of one or a plurality of stop elements used for locking the block ring 34 inside the handle, in order to make same invisible and inaccessible unless by using teeth or a special key provided with teeth adapted to the unlocking ring 32, in order that when this is forced against the first one, the teeth of the unlocking ring or those of the key lift up the elements for unlocking the block ring,thus allowing the opening of the frame and returning the two rings to the handle center.

As here shown the frame is provided with two stop elements or hard frictional retaining elemerits for locking the rings and preventing their casual return to the handle center. A hard frictional retaining element 31 is provided for holding the ring 32, and a stop element 33 locking the ring 34. Such stop and retaining elements are borne by the ends of a fiat spring 35 fastened in its center on the handle 5 or on the reglet '7. The same consists of two celluloid springs cut out, as shown, in a plate so as to present in their centers the projections 35 between which, and also between the reglet 7 and the handle 5 are inserted and glued blocks 36 so as to thus construct an integral and steady block. The ring 34 or locking ring receives as many teeth 37 projecting inside the handle 5 as the frame has stop elements 33. In this example are used two stop elements 33. These stop elements have a butt-end shaped profile in which the curved part 38 is connected on one side to the spring 35, and on the other side to a rectilineal part ending with a square edge. While pushing the locking ring 34, when same is in the middle of the handle 5, towards the end of the above mentioned slit 4, the tooth 37 by frictional contact raises the curved part 38, the stop element passes underneath and allows the ring 34 to come and surround the tongue 9, thus securing the closing of the frame. The square edges prevent the ring from coming back to the middle of the handle. The ring 32 or unlocking ring is kept in the closed position by the hard frictional retaining elements 31. The elements 31 have a convex form ending with a bevelled point. The position of the point is somewhat higher than the upper level of the teeth 39 of the unlocking ring 32, so that the said teeth with their slightly rounded edges can attack the retaining element in the full curve, lifting up the same and going through underneath towards the other side of the slot 4, when the unlocking ring 32' is pushed against the locking ring 34 in order to unlock this last one and to open the frame.

The ring 32 being pushed in the opposite direction towards the tongue 8, the retaining element 31 is raised and gives way to the said ring, but when the ring is in the closed position such element prevents the ring from returning to the handle middle, as will be understood.

Being thus returned on the tongues 3 and 9 respectively, the rings 32 and 34 secure in that position the firm closing of the frame. To open this frame, the unlocking ring 32 must be forced against the ring 34 for lifting the stop element 38 and thus permitting the bringing back at the same time of both rings to the middle of the handle. Owing to the rectilineal part 40 of the stop element 38, this remains lifted by the tooth 39 of the ring 32 until the tooth 37 of the ring 34 being somewhat less in height than the preceding one is engaged under the stop element and is also free from any obstacle for bringing bacl; the ring 34 in the opened position, in the middle of the handle 5.

The teeth 39 instead of being integral with the ring 32 may also be made dismountable and removable by cutting them out in a special key in the following manner:

The unlocking ring 32 is shaped as a hollow parallelopiped. In the vertical planes are provided two openings 41 and 42 of the same size, which are arranged in the immediate extension but in the orthogonal plane of an opening 43 in the middle and along the lower horizontal plane.

The hollow space formed by the said three openings is designed to receive a k y 43", providedwith the teeth 39, its two ends 44 and 45 being turned up at right angles, and having the right measurements of the openings 41 and 42. These equally sized ends have on their outer faces mouldings 46 similar to those of the vertical planes and upper horizontal plane of the ring, the said mouldings being intended to disguise the presence of the key.

The lrey 43 also has two notches 47 to come into engagement on the wedges 48 of the ring 32 and to hold in position. the key on the said ring.

In the two jaws l and 2 and through the tongue 8, the'reglet 7 and the handle 5 are provided with twoopenings 48 and 49 of the same measurements as the: two standing up ends 44 and 4-5, in order toallow the same to come easily therein when the key is'introduoed into the ring 32.

The two teeth 39 of the key are unequally dimensioned, the higher one corresponding to the lower stop element, and inversely. This difference in the respectivemeasurements of the stop elements andteeth is intended for sec ring the secret of the opening of the frame. In fact it is sufficient after having closed the frame by bringing back the rings 32 and 34 respectively on the tongues 8 and 9, to draw back the key 43, turn the same on about 180, and to return same to its right place, so that at. this moment the teeth 39 are not in correspondence with their respective stop notches, and a non-authorized person being unaware of the mechanism cannot open the frame. It is also sufficient to place the key edgewise or to use instead of' the same a' bolt 51, that is, a kind of full parallelopiped, the dimensions of which correspond to those of the openings 41, 42, 49 and 50, and provided also with two elements 4?, for reaching' the same result. In the three dispositions, the unlockingv ring 32 is itself locked either by the retaining notches 31 or by the lower plane of the ring, or by the bolt 51, the opening of the frame being now secretly and safely closed.

On the outside peripheric edge of the jaw 2 is fixed at right angles after cutting out the reglet 7 and leaving out the tongues 8 and 9, a strengthening band 52 acting as an angle iron in order to secure the longitudinal rigidity of the jaw, and also to provide for a separation plane between the bag inside and the slot 4, thus preventing the small things from escaping through the said slot and falling outside.

In the bag frames made up of thick end full plates, there is no strengthening band 52, and the tightness is secured by applying the jaws one on the other on the whole of their inner surfaces. However in such a construction, the upper handle on which are arranged the stop and retaining elements is hollowed in order to receive the said elements. a

The fiat springs consist of plastic material, such as celluloid, or flexible wood such as rush. The steel springs which of course can also be used are thinner and fixed in the handle in a somewhat difierent manner. Since in such a case they are made up of thin sheets, they are either riveted or fiat prisoned in their middle part between two small blocks of metal, wood or plastic material, firmly connected. together in a suitable manner, the said. blocks being themselves fastened on the handle.

The stop and retaining elements are under these conditions made either by warm or cold bending of the spring ends in order to provide the same with the required profile shown on the drawing or by the fixation in any suitable way of removable elements on the ends of the said metallic spring.

The invention is not limited by the number of teeth or the number of stop and retaining elements, as it may be provided with only one stop element and one retaining element as well as with a plurality of such elements. In the same way, the object of the invention may receive either one or a plurality of fixed or removable (on the key) teeth 37 or 39. The inside projecting tooth may also be omitted, and then the very unlocking ring acting. as the said tooth is used to drive up by the operation of its lower plane on the stop element and to open the frame. However in such a case the-stop and retaining elements are arranged on a lower level: at: the same height of the slit 4, so as to be reached by the ring.

In the case of this last alteration being applied to the holder frame, the opening: in. which are introduced the fingers is disposed below the above described slit 4, so that the whole of the m device is included within the holder.

This invention is. independent of the general outside form of the frame, material to be used, measurements and other requisites for the frame or bag, which may be diversified at will.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A bag frame comprising a pair of members movable toward and from each other to closed and open position, one of said members having a pair of spaced locking tongues extending toward each other and the other of said members having recesses to receive said tongues, a pair of slides mounted on the last named member for movement longitudinally thereof into and out of engagement with said tongues, yieldable means to lock one of said slides in engaged position and yieldable means to lock the other slide in engaged position, said first named yieldable locking means and the first named slide being so constructed and arranged that said yieldable locking means can be disengaged from the second named slide by the first named slide when said first named slide is moved toward said second named slide.

2. A bag frame as claimed in claim 1, in which the locking means comprises a longitudinally extending spring secured at its center to one frame member and having oppositely extending free end portions, one of which is adapted to drop behind and lock one of the slides, and the other of which has a cam surface at its free end, adapting said end to drop behind and hold the other slide in locked position and against casual movement and yet permit said last named slide to be manually moved against the resistance of said end portion, to release position and also to the position required to disengage the other end of said spring from the other slide and hence permit the last named slide to be moved also to release position.

moved against the resistance of said end portion, to release position and also to the position required to disengage the other end of said spring from the other slide and hence permit the last named slide to be moved also to release position, said first named slide having a chamber and being provided with a key member, detachably fitted in said chamber, and when in place therein, adapted to actuate the end portions of the spring.

MICHEL NAHAS. 

